Unpack the Baggage and Gratitude Wall

IIIM Marks World Suicide Prevention Day with “Unpack the Baggage” and Gratitude Wall

The International School of Informatics & Management (IIIM), Jaipur, observed World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) through a meaningful mental health awareness initiative under COPE (Counselling and Outreach for Peer Empowerment), a mental health initiative of Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust. Organised by the COPE Club at IIIM on 9 September 2026, the initiative featured two engaging activities—“Unpack the Baggage” and the “Gratitude Wall”—aimed at encouraging emotional awareness, positive expression, empathy and meaningful connections among students.

As part of the initiative, Dr. Gargi Sharma, Faculty Coordinator, COPE Club, also introduced the COPE initiatives to the new batches, familiarising students with the Club’s focus on mental health awareness, peer support and emotional well-being.

The initiative provided students with an opportunity to pause, reflect and explore how individual thoughts, experiences and perspectives shape the way people communicate and respond to situations. Through experiential and creative engagement, the activities reinforced the importance of open communication, emotional intelligence, supportive relationships and healthy ways of dealing with everyday challenges.

The highlight, “Unpack the Baggage,” was an experiential team activity that explored how differently people can perceive and interpret the same thought or message. Students worked in teams of five, with each participant creating and passing on a drawing to the next member, who interpreted and developed it from their own perspective. The final drawings became a lively starting point for discussion, demonstrating how personal experiences and perceptions can influence communication. The activity fostered creativity, empathy, teamwork, curiosity and open expression.

Complementing this was the “Gratitude Wall,” which invited students to write the names of people they were grateful for on sticky notes and add them to a common display. The wall gradually transformed into a collective expression of appreciation and positivity, encouraging students to recognise the people who have made a meaningful difference in their lives.

Together, the two activities created an inclusive and engaging space for reflection, expression, appreciation and connection. The initiative reflected the spirit of World Suicide Prevention Day by reinforcing the importance of creating environments where individuals feel heard, valued and supported.

Through such initiatives under COPE and Mpower, IIIM continues to contribute towards building greater awareness of mental well-being and fostering a campus culture rooted in empathy, peer support, emotional awareness and positive human connections.